Autumn 2019

Most of the Group have managed to join us in our site on the Pembrokeshire side of the Teifi Marshes Reserve over the early autumn. This is good scrubby habitat regenerating on slate waste adjacent to the river. We hope to maintain once per fortnight visits through the late autumn and winter seasons. Interesting records include an arrival of  Cetti's Warblers, several Firecrests and as expected with 11 years ringing at the site plenty of quality recaptures.

Some of the group highlights since the end of August include...

On the 19th September, our 6th new female Cetti's of the autumn. For two years Cetti's haven't bred on the reserve or nearby. By the end of October at least one male was singing and on 6th November Chris and Sion caught the 1st male since the "beast from the east" on the Pentood side of the marsh.
By mid September Blackcaps were the main warbler with 12 caught on the 19th and 14 on the previous day. Only 6 Chiffchaff on the 19th and the acro species had dried up, but Goldcrests now daily.

Cetti's Warbler

October 15th a great result for Wendy....
"Planting 800 trees on our fields near Cardigan has increased biodiversity but a surprise today in a Yellow-browed Warbler, a vagrant which breeds in Siberia and winters in SE Asia."

Yellow-browed Warbler

A Firecrest on Oct 22nd was the 2nd of four so far this autumn. November is our best month for them so maybe some more. Also the first 6 Redwing of the season with many more having been caught in early morning sessions since.

Firecrest

On Nov 4th, Chris and Sion made a very good return to the Pentood nets. Surprisingly no Firecrest amongst 70g of Goldcrests and 120g of Long-tailed Tits but the session did include 1 Water Rail, 1 Stonechat, 1 Blackcap and 3 Cetti's including the 1st male since wipe-out in winter 17/18. A first for the site is unusual but the 1st Siskin was caught too.

By early November Wendy recorded continuous passage of Redwing over her fields, many stopping off to feed on Hawthorn berries. Each evening large numbers dropped down to roost in woodland  planted a few years ago. Good to see a poorly drained unproductive field now developing into habitat being used by migrants. During this 1st week of November several of the Group have been ringing Redwings here and a Chiffchaff on the 7th. 

Redwing

Other ringing around the Group's sites has included ;
Karen making catches of Meadow Pipits near Dinas and Andy at Blaenduad.
Starlings have returned to Andy's garden and he has caught a bird ringed elsewhere with a BTO ring in March 2016. Details awaited.
Arfon has been catching Lesser Redpolls whilst carrying out a recce at  new site..

Some recent encounters elsewhere of  birds ringed by us

Chiffchaff  LNY034

Ringing date: 14-SEP-2019, Blaenduad,  Carmarthenshire

Finding date: 19-OCT-2019  Le Neubourg, Eure, France

Hit a window, but recovered

Duration: 35 days Distance: 487 km Direction: 131deg (SE)

Sedge Warbler  S160853

Ringing date: 01-MAY-2016  Teifi Marshes, Cardigan, Ceredigion

Finding date: 26-AUG-2019   Nanjizal, Lands End, Cornwall

Duration: 1212 days  Distance: 238 km Direction: 199deg (SSW)

Sedge Warbler  ABB9764

Ringing date: 21-APR-2019  Teifi Marshes, Cardigion, Ceredigion

Finding date: 21-AUG-2019 Migron, Frossay, Loire-Atlantique, France

Duration: 122 days Distance: 571 km Direction: 160deg (SSE)

Wendy and I are off to Gambia on a BTO ringing expedition and return at the end of November.  I understand Andy, Arfon and Chris are likely - weather permitting to be able to offer ringing opportunities to the group.

We were disappointed that we had to cancel our September trip to Skokholm Bird Obs due to the weather, but Group members should be aware of 4 trips to Skokholm arranged for next year.